Thrown For a Loop
by HannaHeyes
Summary: It's going to prove to be a loooong day for Hannibal Heyes and Kid Curry. Inspired by a 1993 movie.
1. Chapter 1

The cool early Autumn rain had dissipated leaving a translucent fog hanging over the valley. Nocturnal insects had started to perform their droning song as the evening twilight faded slowly into obscurity. The only other sound to be heard was the squish of horses' hooves on the muddy trail. Two damp and weary riders stared ahead, looking for any sign of civilization.

"I thought there was supposed to be a town around here somewhere."

Hannibal Heyes looked over at his partner Kid Curry to see him scowling under the floppy brown hat. "There is...somewhere..."

"Well there better be. I ain't plannin' to spend another night sleepin' on this soggy ground."

"Don't worry Kid. You won't have to. I'll find you a rock to sleep on."

"I'm fixin' to find a rock to brain you with."

Heyes tried to hold back a smile as he turned to face forward again. They rode on quietly. As they turned a bend, he pointed up ahead. "Look there. I think I see the outlines of some buildings."

Another five minutes found them riding past a sign declaring the start of a town. Heyes pulled his mount to a stop as he quizzically looked at it. "Destiny Loop?" What kinda name is that for a town?"

"As long as there's a sheriff that don't know us, a place to get a hot meal, and a hotel with an empty bed, they could name it Outhouse for all I care."

Heyes clicked his horse back into motion and followed Kid toward what appeared to be the main street. Momentarily, they passed the sheriff's office. "Don't seem to be anyone we know in the law business here."

Kid was quietly checking out the surroundings. "Maybe we ought to keep going Heyes. This place has a weird feeling about it."

"What? Just two minutes ago you were ready to kill if you had to spend another night outside."

"Yeah, well, I'm havin' second thoughts."

"Don't be ridiculous. This is just another town on the trail, like all the rest. You'll feel better after some food and sleep."

"Maybe..."

They stopped and checked into the hotel, then after taking their horses to the livery, hurried to the cafe to get some dinner before it closed.

Later, back in their room, Heyes had settled himself down to read a little. "Well, Kid. Feeling a little better now?"

Curry threw the quilt back on his bed and climbed in. "Yeah, I guess so. That pot roast and this semi-comfy bed is helpin'." It wasn't two minutes after he laid down before he was snoring softly.

A little while later, Heyes put his book down on the nightstand and finally fell asleep.

* * *

><p>"COCK-A-DOODLE-DOOOO...COCK-A-DOO..."<p>

BANG

"SQUAAAWWKK..."

"What the..." Heyes jerked up in bed and grabbed his gun. After seeing nobody in the room with him, he got up and looked out the window. In the street below, the sheriff or deputy was pushing a staggering drunk who had apparently just shot a rooster toward the jail. A hand was run through the dark hair as Heyes put his gun back in his holster. He was getting ready to wash his face when the Kid unlocked the door and walked in.

"Mornin' Heyes."

Heyes grunted in reply. "Where have you been this early?"

"Went out to get some breakfast and a paper. Didn't want to wake ya, so I just brought you something back."

"I hope it includes coffee."

"Got it right here." Kid set the steaming cup on a table. "Were you awake in time to see the excitement?"

"The excitement is what woke me up. What happened out there?"

"Some guy spent all night with a whiskey bottle and didn't appreciate that rooster's wake-up call."

Heyes snorted a quiet laugh and turned back to the wash basin.

"Since we're runnin' low on money, I was glancin' at this paper while I ate and saw a couple ads for jobs. One's out at a small ranch patchin' up a barn. The other's deliverin' some documents out to a mine."

Heyes paused to peer at his cousin through the wash basin mirror. "Let me guess. You chose the delivery job."

Kid shot Heyes his most charming, innocent smile. "Well, I figured this time, I'd do the decidin' instead of that coin of yours."

* * *

><p>Heyes stood in the livery stable tacking up his horse. Out of the corner of his eye, he could tell the stable boy mucking out the next stall kept staring at him. Heyes turned his head and touched his hat in greeting. The boy nodded his head back and turned his attention back to his work. The only other time he looked up was to watch Heyes lead his mare out into the street. A smile creased his young face as the ex-outlaw mounted up and started his mare around the right corner of the livery.<p>

* * *

><p>Kid had already picked up the mining documents and was on his way out of town. The morning air was pleasant as the sun drifted in and out of cloud cover. He smiled smugly as he thought of the fact that he had gotten the cushy job this time. Heyes usually ended up with it either through manipulation or that dratted coin of his. He could just see Heyes cursing to himself up on the roof of a barn trying to patch it. Heyes wasn't the best when it came to carpentry. He'd say it was a safe bet his partner would return to the hotel with more than one cut or bruise on his hands. Kid let his horse plod lazily down the trail. No need to be in too much of a hurry.<p>

* * *

><p>Heyes was headed in the opposite direction after he had finally decided not to stop at the general store for any food or supplies. Besides, as Kid had pointed out, they were low on funds and the job ad hadn't said anything about needing your own tools.<p>

The ranch lay just about twenty minutes ride from the town. He kept a close watch behind him as he rode. He didn't know why the stable boy had been staring at him, but he figured if he'd been recognized, he'd be running from a posse by now.

As he rode, he thought about how unfair it was that he had ended up with the job that required the most work. At least the Kid had a much longer ride than he did.

The ranch came into view. As he got closer, he groaned when he saw the repairs that needed to be done were on the barn's roof. Next time, Kid was definitely getting the hard job. He rode up to the ranch house where a middle-aged lady appeared on the porch wiping her hands on a dish towel.

"Can I help you with something?" she asked as she looked Heyes over. Heyes dismounted.

"Howdy ma'am. My name's Joshua Smith. I'm here about the job you had in the paper, patching up the barn?"

"Oh yes, yes. It's not a very big job, just finishing up patching the hole in the barn's roof. Shouldn't take no more than a day or two. My husband had started the work, but he got a telegraph saying his ma was real sick and he left to see her. He put the ad in the paper before he left so hopefully we could get the repairs done before any more rain. We have such a small ranch we never hired any ranch hands. Will you listen to me just goin' on and on. Come on in Mr. Smith and have a cup of coffee while I tell you about the job. By the way, I'm Mrs. Baker."

* * *

><p>Kid was allowing himself to enjoy the ride even though his senses were still on guard. A good thing they were too. Up ahead, on the side of the road in a grove of trees, his eyes caught the slightest glint of sunlight hitting metal. He slowed his black gelding to a stop and pulled his Colt out of his holster.<p>

"Hey up there," he called out in a commanding voice. "You might as well unload your gun and throw both the bullets and gun out on the road and come out of those trees. If I don't see both tossed out, I'm gonna have to start shootin' and don't think I can't hit you at this distance."

A normal man probably couldn't have made the shot, but the Kid knew his abilities well. And to prove his point to the would-be bandit, he shot the tree limb above where the man's head would be. It wasn't a few seconds later that he saw a handful of bullets and a gun slung into the road followed by a decidedly disgruntled highwayman with his hands raised. Kid kept his .45 trained on the man as he rode up to him.

"You know, hiding in full shadow is alot more effective than in partial sunlight," Curry said as he dismounted.

The man scowled at him. "Just who are you mister?"

"Somebody that's teachin' you a lesson. Now lay down there with your hands behind your back."

The man did as he was told as Kid dug some rawhide thongs from his saddlebag. "And just what lesson is that?" the man growled.

"Be careful who you try to rob."

* * *

><p>Heyes had been told all the supplies he needed to fix the roof was in the barn. He went in and spotted a crate full of various tools next to a couple of barrels. As he reached down to grab a hammer, he heard a hiss from behind one of the barrels. He froze, his eyes searching desperately for the snake he knew was there. He couldn't find it. It was well hidden in the shadows and he had no idea how close it might be to him. He quickly debated the best course of action to take. Should he try to back up slowly so he wouldn't startle the creature or pull back fast in case it struck out at him? He decided and mentally prepared himself to jerk back as fast as he could possibly move.<p>

He took a deep breath and jumped back as far as he could get from the crate and barrels. As soon as he had started to move, he heard an ungodly screech and a cat ran out from behind the barrel not happy at having its nap interrupted by this interloper.

Heyes released the breath he was still holding and frowned at the retreating animal. He frowned yet again when he saw what he had managed to jump on top off. "I'm beginning to hate nature," he grumpily muttered. He tried to wipe the brown mess off his boots and then gathered the tools and nails needed and went around the side of the barn where a ladder stood leaning against the wall.

To get the stuff he needed to work with up on the roof, he got a bucket, put his things in it, and tied a rope to the handle. He then climbed the ladder and stood on the edge of the roof to pull the bucket up. Once in the air, the stuff shifted in the bucket causing it to lean to one side as he pulled it up. Heyes didn't pay it any attention and halfway up, the bucket caught on a protruding nail in the ladder. Before he could stop pulling the rope so it could right itself, all the weight being on one side caused the bucket to tilt enough to drop its contents back to the ground.

'I should of just stayed in bed today,' Heyes thought as he descended the ladder to gather up the tools and nails laying about. This time, he made sure to distribute the weight evenly in the bucket and once back on the roof, stood away from the ladder to pull it up. From his vantage point, he noticed the two cows and horse in the pasture had stopped eating to watch him.

"Enjoying the show?" he called out sarcastically. As if in reply, the horse snorted and lowered its head to continue grazing.

Finally, after a few minutes, Heyes had settled himself next to the hole in the roof and started to work.

* * *

><p>Kid had deposited the unruly bandit next to the road tied to a tree. He lead the man's horse off just around the bend and left it to graze to its heart's content. He figured it would take the man at least an hour to get himself out of the trussed up state he'd left him in. Even then, he'd have to locate his horse, so Kid wasn't worrying too much about him.<p>

The rest of the ride to the mine was pretty uneventful thankfully. As he rode up, two men started walking towards him. One of the men was apparently the mine foreman and he didn't look happy at all.

"Who are you and what are you doing here?" he demanded.

"My name is Jones and I was hired to bring these documents up here," Kid explained as he dismounted.

"I told that banker not to be sending anymore men up here to try to serve me that nonsense. Now, you just git right back up on your horse and go tell Reynolds my brother owns this land fair and square and he ain't got no legal reason to foreclose on it."

Kid stared at the irate man. "Look mister, I have no idea what you're talkin' about. I'm just supposed to give you this envelope and then go get paid and that's what I aim to do. Whatever business you got with this Reynolds guy don't involve me none. I'm just tryin' to do a job."

"Well, as soon as you rode onto this property you got involved."

The man's companion stepped forward to put in his two cents. "Looks like old Reynolds went and hired himself a gunslinger to do his dirty work. A man don't wear his gun like that less'n he means to use it."

Kid turned an icy blue stare at the foreman's minion. "I ain't a gunslinger and even if I was, I wouldn't hire out my gun. Now, you gonna take this envelope?"

"No, we're not. You better just take it and git. We ain't gonna tell you no more." The man backed up as he spoke and squared up to Curry.

"And I ain't gonna tell YOU no more that I ain't leavin' until this document's delivered." Kid could tell by the man's cockiness that he wasn't going to back down. He sighed inwardly. This was supposed to have been the easy job. He readied himself for the inevitable.

His opponent sneered at him. A tense few seconds passed and the man went for his gun only to find it shot off his hip before he could grab it. Kid reholstered his revolver and turned back to the foreman who had his mouth gaped open. "Now, I suggest you take this and let me be on my way." The man only nodded in reply.

* * *

><p>"SON OF A ...," Heyes did his best to surpress a yell as he hit his hand for what seemed like the hundredth time. He looked down at the newest bruise forming and added carpentry to his list of jobs too hard on the back, or in this case, hands.<p>

After the pain had subsided a bit, he reached for another shingle. There was none to be found. He rolled his eyes as he got up to go down the ladder yet again to get some more.

There were a couple of rungs left to step down onto when his foot slipped and he fell flat on his butt. He lay there a moment gritting his teeth. When he got up, pain temporarily shot up his back. He shook it off though as he was pretty sure one couldn't break one's rear.

He gathered together some shingles and went back to the roof.

* * *

><p>The sun was low on the horizon when Heyes decided to quit for the day. He stretched as he stood up. At least he was almost finished. He COULD'VE been finished had he not had his mishaps and trudged up and down that ladder a thousand times. Plus, he could've worked a little harder. Tomorrow, Kid could come help him so it wouldn't take long to complete.<p>

He reached the ground and went up to the house to let Mrs. Baker know how much he had gotten done and that he was leaving. She insisted on paying him half of what she would owe him when the job was completed. He gladly took it and told her he would be back in the morning.

* * *

><p>He made it back to the saloon about five minutes before Kid showed up. He was leaning on the bar looking kinda rough when Curry walked over to him and ordered a drink.<p>

"You look like you had a good day," Kid quipped sipping his beer.

Heyes just glared at him. He decided to change the subject. "Did you enjoy your leisurely ride to deliver that document?"

It was Kid's turn to glare. "I've had better days."

"Well, I'll bet you didn't have as much aggravation as I had."

"Oh yeah. That's one bet you'd lose Joshua." He gulped down the rest of the beer. "I'm going after some dinner. You comin'?"

Heyes nodded and finished off his own drink.

After they had finished eating and filling each other in on the day's events, they retired to their hotel room.

"With both of us working on that roof tomorrow, we should be done by noon and can relax the rest of the day," Heyes said removing his boots.

"Think that lady will pay extra since both of us will be workin'?"

"I'm sure I could convince her to." Heyes reclined against the bed's headboard and opened his book.

"Well, I sure hope you're more successful at that than you were hittin' nails," Kid smirked looking at Heyes' hands.

Heyes snorted at him and started to read. Kid lay down and was asleep within minutes.

Heyes read for about ten minutes then suddenly felt extremely sleepy himself. He turned to place his book on the nightstand. Before he could lay it down, it slipped out of his hand. He tried to grab it, but only succeeded in tearing the paperback cover. Rolling his eyes, he picked it up off the floor and put it on the table.

* * *

><p>COCK-A-DOODLE-DOOOO...COCK-A-DOO..."<p>

BANG

"SQUAAAWWKK..."

"What the..." Heyes jerked up in bed and grabbed his gun. After seeing nobody in the room with him, he got up and looked out the window. In the street below, the sheriff or deputy was pushing a staggering drunk who had apparently just shot a rooster toward the jail. A hand was run through the dark hair as Heyes put his gun back in his holster. He froze where he stood and a confused look appeared on his face. "Now wait a minute..." He was still standing there when the Kid unlocked the door and walked in.

"Mornin' Heyes."

Heyes grunted in reply but didn't move.

"What's wrong with you?"

Heyes shook his head. "Uh...nothing. Where've you been?"

"Went out to get some breakfast and a paper. Didn't want to wake ya, so I just brought you something back."

"I hope it includes coffee." Heyes stopped and furrowed his brow.

"Got it right here." Kid set the steaming cup on a table. "Were you awake in time to see the excitement?"

"That's what woke me up," Heyes answered absently scratching his head.

"What's wrong with you? You fall out of bed and hit your head or somethin'?"

"No...uh...you ever felt like you've done the exact same thing before?"

"Don't guess so. Unless you're talking about runnin' from posses or somethin' like that. We've certainly done that before."

"No. I mean the EXACT same thing. Same things happening, saying the exact same thing..."

"You've lost me Heyes. Do you feel hot? You got a fever?"

"I ain't sick Kid! This same scenario has happened before, yesterday morning."

"Heyes, yesterday mornin' we was pickin' ourselves up off a cold, damp ground gettin' ready to drink that sludge you call coffee."

"No we weren't. We were here in this town. A gunshot woke me up."

"You must have had a dream Heyes. We just got here last night."

"It WASN'T a dream Kid! We were here. I spent all day working. Just look at the bruises on my hands."

Kid looked at Heyes' hands as he held them up. After a second, he looked his cousin in the eyes. "There ain't no bruises there."

"What?!" Heyes examined his hands for himself. Just as Kid had said, the bruises weren't there. He dropped back down on the side of the bed. Then he noticed his book. He was sure that he had ripped the cover last night. But there it was, perfectly intact. After a moment, he went to his saddlebag and retrieved the little bit of whiskey he had and dumped it all in his coffee.

Hoping his partner's temporary insanity was over, Kid told him what he'd found in the paper. "Since we're runnin' low on money, I was glancin' at this paper while I ate and saw a couple ads for jobs. One's out at a small ranch patchin' up a barn. The other's deliverin' some documents out to a mine."

Heyes just looked at Kid. Maybe he was right and it had all been a dream. He'd heard of people having such realistic dreams that they'd think they'd actually happened. That had to be what was going on. There was no other explanation for it.

Kid continued. "And I figured this time, I'd do the decidin' instead of that coin of yours. I'm takin' the delivery job."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Hannibal Heyes walked down the hotel stairs in a sort of daze. He couldn't shake the strange feeling he had no matter how much he tried to convince himself it was just a dream. He handed his room key over to the desk clerk and walked out into the street. Looking around, he saw the sheriff leave and lock the door to his office. There were some kids playing in front of the general store. A lady was sweeping the porch of the boarding house down on the corner. Lots of people going about their morning business.

If he HAD been here yesterday, he hadn't noticed most of what was happening at that very moment. But he had been in kind of a foul mood and in a hurry when he stalked to the livery stable and could've just not paid much attention to what anyone was actually doing. He shook his head and started walking to get his horse.

He was still deep in his own thoughts as he entered the livery and started saddling up his mare. Kid had to be right. It had been a dream. Days just didn't repeat themselves. There was no logical way that it could happen that he knew of. And as much as he kept up with the daily newspapers wherever he could get them, he would've read about any new scientific discoveries.

He mounted up and rode out of the stable, a concentrated look on his face as he decided he wasn't going to think anymore about something that crazy. He had a job to go do, a physical, laborious job, thanks to his partner. He turned his horse to the left around the livery corner and almost rode straight into a man who was coming around to the front.

"Oh, sorry sir," Heyes said as he sharply pulled his mare up. "Didn't see you there."

"Better git your mind on what you're doin' there young man," growled a grizzly old farmer. "No need to be in such a hurry."

Heyes just tipped his hat in apology and grinned as the man stared hard at him. "Yes sir, I'll do just that." He had more pertinent things on his mind than to argue with an old timer.

As Heyes rode off, he didn't notice the young man who had been cleaning the stalls watching him and smiling. He also didn't notice the old man pause when he reached the livery door, then turn to head toward the sheriff's office.

* * *

><p>"SON OF A ...," Heyes did his best to surpress a yell as he hit his hand for what seemed like the hundredth time. He looked down at the newest bruise forming and added carpentry to his list of jobs too hard on the back, or in this case, hands. Oh well. Maybe the pain would keep that nagging feeling of repetition out of the back of his mind.<p>

After the pain had subsided a bit, he reached for another shingle. There were none to be found on the roof with him. He rolled his eyes as he got up to go down the ladder yet again to get some more. As he neared the edge, he heard what sounded like four or five people walking up to the barn.

"Hannibal Heyes...we know you're up there and you're under arrest. Now, you slowly come to where we can see you with your hands raised. And don't think about trying anything. We've got five firearms down here pointed in your direction."

Heyes stopped dead in his tracks. Where had those people come from? All the hammering he had been doing must have drowned out the sound of horses riding up. The barn being out away from the house hadn't helped any either. Panic started to rise up in him, but he forced himself to calm down. Shaking his head and raising his hands, he finished walking to the edge of the roof. Sure enough, there was the sheriff and four posse members pointing their guns up at him.

"Afternoon Sheriff," he called down. "What's all this about? I'm not Hannibal Heyes. My name's Joshua Smith."

"Don't think so Mr. Heyes. I had someone in town hunt me down and tell me they knew what you looked like and that they'd seen you ride out in this direction. Took a little time to form a small posse and some tracking, but we found you. Now, slowly take your gun out and toss it down here."

Heyes sighed as he slowly complied. This certainly hadn't happened in his dream. "Sheriff, I'm telling you whoever told you that is wrong. This has happened before, me being mistaken for Heyes. It'll just turn out being an inconvenience for both me and you."

"Well, it'll just have to be an inconvenience. I'm taking you in. Come on down this ladder."

Heyes descended the ladder, rolling his eyes in the process. There were a couple of rungs left to step down onto when his foot slipped and he fell flat on his butt. He lay there a moment gritting his teeth. He heard a couple of the posse members snickering.

The sheriff was even trying to surpress a smile. "Just...stay down there while we get these handcuffs on you."

Heyes let himself be cuffed and helped up on his horse that one of the deputies had retrieved. The sheriff and his posse then mounted up. "Let's go men and keep a look out. We got ten thousand dollars here and I don't want to lose it."

'I hope whoever recognized me didn't get a look at the Kid,' Heyes thought as he was led back to town.

* * *

><p>The jailhouse of Destiny Loop had two small cells, but that was two too many for Hannibal Heyes.<p>

"Sheriff Murray listen, you have to believe me, I am NOT Hannibal Heyes. My name really is Joshua Smith." He was lightly pushed into one of the cells as he kept protesting. I'm sure there's just been a mistake." He stifled a shutter as the door locked shut.

"We'll see in just a minute. I sent my deputy to fetch the man that identified you."

Murray had no more than got the words out and sat down at his desk when the door opened and his deputy strode in with the old man Heyes had almost run over earlier behind him.

The Sheriff stood back up. "Alright Mister Turner. Is this the man you say is Hannibal Heyes?" He pointed to the cell.

Old man Turner stepped up to the bars and answered, "Yessir Sheriff. I'd remember him anywhere. Why, that no-good hoodlum almost ran me over this morning when I's going to the livery to get my wagon and go home."

Heyes gave his most charming smile. "I don't believe we've ever met Mister ... Turner... was it? You've just mistaken me for that outlaw. It's happened before. Why just last week..."

"Save your stories sonny. I never forget a face. Saw you once years ago when you and that Plummer gang was hoo-haaing it up in the saloon at Boom Town. I was the bartender there for years before I got enough money to buy myself a little farm. You stayed there half the night drinking and playing poker while every gal in the place tried to get your attention."

Heyes got quiet. It was no use arguing anymore. He'd tried all day to convince the lawman that he was just an ordinary citizen, but now, the Sheriff had confirmation. Heyes remembered the saloon he was talking about vaguely. He and the Plummer Gang had been celebrating their most recent successful robbery and had stayed until the wee hours of the morning. It must've been a good night he mused, because he had awoken in the arms of one of the painted ladies the next day.

As the ex-bartender turned around, Heyes sat down on the bunk and ran his hand through his hair. At least the man had seen him with Jim Plummer and not Kid Curry.

"Now Sheriff, if you don't mind, I need to be going. I should've been back at the farm hours ago. We'll talk tomorrow about the reward money." Turner left and Sheriff Murray smiled in Heyes' direction.

"Well, Mister Heyes. I wonder where that partner of yours is."

* * *

><p>Kid Curry walked into the saloon when he returned from his delivery job and leaned on the bar. He ordered a beer and wondered where Heyes was. 'Probably worn out from having to actually do a little work today. Wouldn't surprise me if he's already in bed complainin' about how hard a day he's had', though the Kid. He'd just took a swallow of amber liquid when he caught the words 'Heyes' and 'arrested' from the other end of the bar. He caught himself as he almost spit out his beer. Nonchalantly, he turned toward the man. "Didn't mean to overhear, but did you say somebody was arrested here today?" Kid asked politely trying not to look too interested.<p>

"Yessiree. Wasn't just somebody either. It was Hannibal Heyes! I was part of the posse what brought him in."

"Hannibal Heyes huh. What about that."

"It was something. Old man Turner recognized him. Too bad he didn't have Kid Curry with him though. I'd a loved to have been able to help bring both of them in."

"Does Turner know what Curry looks like too?"

"Don't think so. Said he remembered Heyes from the Plummer gang and said he was alone when he ran into him today."

"Yeah, LITERALLY, ran into him!" the man's friend added which brought laughter from both of them.

"What do you mean?" Kid asked curious.

"Farmer Turner said he was heading into the livery when Heyes came around the corner on his horse and 'bout ran him over!" This brought more laughter from the two who apparently were getting a little soused.

Kid nodded at them and turned to leave the saloon. He had to go talk to Heyes.

* * *

><p>A solitary figure moved silently down the alley behind the sheriff's office. He looked up and saw a small barred window. He quickly found an abandoned crate to stand on and hoped he could get his cousin's attention from within. He slowly rose to peek over the window's edge. He glimpsed a familiar dark hair of head just below him. He got off the crate and picked up a couple of pebbles. Them he climbed back up and dropped them on his partner's head.<p>

Heyes looked up annoyed but then realized what rocks dropping in out of nowhere could mean. He glanced toward the front of the office and saw Sheriff Murray in deep concentration on some paperwork. He quietly got up and stood on the bunk to look out. "Sure am glad to see you," he mouthed as silently as he could.

"You'll do anything to get out of work won't ya?" Kid smiled.

Heyes smirked at him. "Listen, they found all the lockpicks I had on me. You'll have to get me my other ones out of my gray coat."

"Alright. I'll be back as soon as I find them and pack up, then you can let yourself out."

Heyes shook his head in agreement then got off the bunk before the Sheriff had a chance to look up and see him. The he sat back down and leaned against the wall.

Curry stepped off the crate and made his way to the end of the alley. He was glad it was dark out. Maybe he wouldn't be seen. He stepped out of the alley about the same time Murray's deputy walked around the corner of the building.

"Hey," the deputy called out. "What were you doing back there?"

Kid rolled his eyes and turned around. "Nothin'. Just got lost on my way back to the hotel."

"Hotel's on the other end of town. Kinda hard to miss."

"I just got into town this evening and got turned around in the dark. Well, g'night." Curry started to walk off.

"Now wait just a minute. I may have a little alcohol in me but that still sounds funny. I think we should go in and see the Sheriff."

Kid sighed with his eyes shut, then turned around again. "That's no problem," he lied.

"Alright then. Let's go." The deputy waited until Curry walked in front of him and followed him around to the jail's door. They went in and Heyes' eyes widened when he saw who it was. "Sheriff, I saw this man come out of the alley behind the jail. Looked kinda strange to me so I brought in here."

"In the back huh?" Murray stood up and walked around his desk. "That is a little strange, especially when we've just today arrested a notorious criminal."

"Like I told your deputy here, I'm new in town and just got turned around trying to get back to the hotel." Kid's face was cool as a cucumber while on the inside he was sweating bullets.

"Well, that may be. Could you remove your hat please?"

Curry hesitated slightly but the complied. Heyes just put his head in his hands.

Murray looked him over. "You know what else is strange mister? You kind of fit the description of our incarcerated outlaw's partner. Now there would be a good reason to be in the alley behind the jail. Maybe planning a jailbreak?"

"Now Sheriff, I have no idea what you're talking about. I just came from delivering some documents up to the mine. Just took my horse to the livery. You can check my story if you want."

Murray nodded at his deputy who was still standing behind Curry. Promptly, Kid felt his Colt being lifted out of its holster. "Oh, I am gonna check. But I can't do it tonight. Hafta wait 'til morning. So in the meantime, you can spend the night here."

The Kid inwardly moaned. Murray continued.

"Look at this way. I'll be saving you a night's rent at the hotel."

Kid stared at the Sheriff through narrow eyes. Murray motioned him to the unoccupied cell. Curry went in and sat down as the door shut. As soon as Murray went back up front, Kid looked over and caught Heyes' eyes. The looked they shared spoke volumns. It was going to be a long night.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

_COCK-A-DOODLE-DOOOO...COCK-A-DOO..."_

_BANG_

_"SQUAAAWWKK..."_

"What the..." Heyes jerked up in bed and grabbed his gun. After seeing nobody in the room with him, he got up and looked out the window. In the street below, the sheriff or deputy was pushing a staggering drunk who had apparently just shot a rooster toward the jail. Heyes grabbed the windowsill with both hands and shook his head as he stared out. "I was in jail," he said in a whisper, eyes widened. He was still standing there when the Kid unlocked the door and walked in.

"Mornin' Heyes."

Heyes turned to stare at his partner, a wild look on his face. "I was in jail. I was supposed to wake up in jail. We both were."

Curry stopped where he was, then smiled. "Yeah, that's what all the lawmen think. We should be in jail."

Heyes shook his head and walked back to the bed to return his revolver to his holster. "No Kid. I mean last night. We were in jail last night. I got arrested then you got pulled into the sheriff's office for being in the alley behind the jail. They put you in a cell too."

The Kid stared hard at his cousin. "Heyes, yesterday mornin' we was pickin' ourselves up off a cold, damp ground gettin' ready to drink that sludge you call coffee."

Heyes clapped both hands over his face and sighed, aggravated. "You're telling me you don't remember being locked up last night?"

"No Heyes. We just got here yesterday." Kid started to worry about his partner. Had he caught a fever or something?

"NO WE WEREN'T." Heyes was starting to look slightly insane as he grew more animated. "This is the third day we've been here. The first day I worked on a barn. Yesterday, we both ended up behind bars. This morning started just like the other two mornings with me getting woke up by somebody shooting a rooster. Something extremely strange and wrong is going on around here."

Kid didn't know what to say. He set the coffee and food on the table and sat down, all the time watching his frantic cousin.

"Don't look at me like I'm crazy Kid. I know what I've, we've, been doing the last three days."

Curry wasn't sure about the crazy part. "Have you been up drinking this morning while I was eatin' breakfast?"

"NO. I told you the shot woke me up." Heyes stood with both hands on his hips. "I can't believe you don't remember any of this." Now, he started to pace aggitatedly.

Kid just kept staring. "Maybe we ought to get you down to the doc's office. You must've fell out of bed and hit your head. Or all those past head injuries have finally caught up with you."

Heyes flopped down on the bed and looked his partner in the eyes. "I'm not crazy Kid," he said quietly. "I'm not drunk, I'm not sick. I'm fine. It's the rest of the world that's screwed up and my own cousin don't believe me."

Kid was starting to get frustrated by that point. "Heyes, I can't pretend to believe something I know for a FACT hasn't happened."

Heyes jumped back up. "Why not?! We pretend to be something we're not everyday!"

"Last night, we had just GOT HERE! NOBODY WAS IN JAIL!"

"I THINK I KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BEING BEHIND BARS AND BEING IN A HOTEL!"

Kid closed his eyes to try to calm his rising anger. He reminded himself that something had to be seriously wrong with his partner. He brought his voice back down to a normal level. "I don't know Heyes. I don't know what's wrong with you and..."

"NOTHING IS WRONG WITH ME!"

That was it. "ALRIGHT THEN, FINE." Kid rubbed his hand over his face then stood up menacingly. "We'll just see about that. You're goin' to visit the doc and we'll see what he says."

"I am NOT going to see a doctor."

"Oh yes you are. One way or another you are. Now get dressed."

"I said I'm NOT SEEING A DOCTOR!"

Curry sighed then walked over to Heyes and crossed his arms. "Yes...you are."

"What? You're gonna flatten me if I don't go?"

"Like I said Heyes, one way or another, you'll be seeing the doc this morning. Now you can walk to his office or I'll drag you there unconscious."

Heyes balled up his fists and stared icily at Kid. A tense moment passed, then Heyes sighed. "Fine. I'll go. But when the doc says I'm perfectly fine, I'll be taking the delivery job. You can go work on the barn this time." He turned to get ready.

Kid stared after him, a strange look now in place on his face. 'How did he know about that...?"

oooooooooasjoooooooooo

"Well, Mr. Smith, you're as healthy as a horse far as I can tell." Doc Bowman put his stethoscope on the table as Heyes finished buttoning up his shirt.

"But Doc, something can't be right with him. He swears up and down we've been here three days," Kid said standing in the doorway.

"You heard him Thaddeus. He says I'm fine. Now will you shut up?"

"Mr. Jones, I honestly can't find anything wrong with him. There's no signs of any kind that he's had a head injury, he isn't drunk. I have to admit though, I, myself, saw you boys ride into town yesterday afternoon." The doc glanced at Heyes to see his reaction.

Heyes just rolled his eyes and jumped off the exam table. "Doc, thank you. Thaddeus, pay the man. I got a delivery job I got to get to." With that, Heyes stomped out the doctor's office leaving the two men staring after him.

"Sorry Doc. He gets a little proddy sometimes."

"Don't worry about it Mr. Jones. But listen, now that he's gone. If he's still keeping that business up about three days tomorrow, bring him back to see me. I'm going to telegraph a friend of mine back east. He's been studying brain related matters. We'll try to figure out what in the world could be causing him to lose track of time like that."

"Thanks Doctor Bowman," Kid said as he paid him. "I have to admit I'm worried about him." They shook hands and Curry left to go fix a barn's roof.

ooooooooooasjooooooo

Heyes knew to go to the bank to pick up the papers to be delivered. Kid had told him all about it night before last. He went to get his horse, being careful to stay out of sight of a certain old farmer. He saw the old man going into the livery so he changed direction and went to the bank first. This time, he noticed that the stable man had been watching him.

ooooooooasjooooooo

Kid Curry pulled his black gelding up in front of the farmhouse. From this distance, the barn's roof didn't look all that bad. He walked up on the porch and knocked on the door. Momentarily, a middle-aged woman appeared at the door.

"Howdy ma'am. My name's Thaddeus Jones. I've come about the ad you had in the paper about fixin' your barn's roof."

"Oh yes. It's not a very big job, just finishing up patching the hole in the barn's roof. Shouldn't take no more than a day or two. My husband..." She stopped. She had been looking hard at Kid throughout her explanantion. "Uh, I'm sorry. My husband won't be able to help you. He's hitching up the wagon around the back of the house. We're...supposed to go pick something up in town. All the tools are in the barn if you want to get started. We'll be back soon."

Any other time, Kid would've found that conversation awkward. But after dealing with Heyes all morning, nothing seemed strange. "Yes ma'am," was all he said as he tipped his hat to her and lead his horse out to the barn.

oooooooooasjoooooooo

Heyes was deep in thought as he rode to the mines. He was actually starting to worry about himself. What if something was wrong with him? What if he had finally thought too much and was losing his mind? Would he end up locked away in an asylum instead of prison? He had to make himself stop that train of thought. There was nothing at all wrong with him. He decided to wait until the morning. If it started out the same way tomorrow, he'd know for a fact the day was consistantly repeating. Then he would have to somehow find out what was happening and figure out how to stop it. And figure out how to make Kid believe him instead of thinking he was going insane.

He was so deep in thought about it, he completely forgot the story Kid had told him about being robbed on the way to the mine. He also didn't notice the glint of sunlight on metal up ahead of him.

Momentarily, a voice called out from the treeline. "Just hold it right there mister."

Heyes closed his eyes and sighed. Now, he remembered what Kid had told him about the man beside the road. He pulled on the reins to stop and raised his hands. "Hey now. What's this all about?"

The bandit stepped out into the road holding his gun steady on Heyes. "Well, this is about me gittin' some money. Now, git down off'n that horse and don't try nothin'. I ain't one bit scared to put a hole in you."

Heyes slowly dismounted, a little unsettled at the nervousness in the robber's voice. Apparently, he hadn't been making his living long doing this sort of work. "Mister, I'm sure we could come to some kind of agreement if we just talk rational for a bit."

"Ain't got no time fer talkin'." The man dug in his jacket and produced a pair of handcuffs. "Walk over to that tree."

Heyes was surprised to see the extra hardware the man had pulled out of his pocket. The thought of a bounty hunter quickly went through his head. "Now just what is a man like you doing packing around handcuffs?"

"Let's just say I borrowed them when I left another town's jail in a hurry. Now MOVE."

Heyes reluctantly walked over to the tree pointed out to him. He was handed the cuffs.

"Now you just hug that tree there and put those handcuffs on."

Heyes rolled his eyes and shook his head as he put his arms around the medium sized tree and attached the silver bracelets to his wrists. "I can't believe this," he mumbled.

"What's that?" the highwayman asked harshly.

"Nothing. Just get on with it," Heyes replied just as harshly. His nerves were shattered by now.

The man chuckled and started digging in Heyes' pockets. He found two dollars in his jacket. "This all you got?"

"Yes, it is."

The disgruntled bandit grunted in aggravation and turned to search Heyes' saddlebags. Not finding anything he deemed worthy of stealing there, he walked into the trees and mounted his horse. "Well, you just ain't worth nothin'." Heyes hid his face and had to grin at the irony of that statement. The man spurred his horse and took off at a full gallop.

Luckily for Heyes, the inexperienced robber hadn't taken his gun or his horse. He was quite uncomfortable hugging that tree and manuevered down to the ground to a sitting position until he could dig in his boot. It wasn't easy, but he was finally rewarded with the lockpick he had hid there. A few minutes later and he was free. The frustration that had been building quickly over the last three days almost made him angry enough to go after the man and teach him a lesson. But two dollars wasn't worth it right at the moment. Besides, he had some documents to deliver. He checked his saddlebags to make sure they were still there, then mounted up and continued his trip to the mine.

oooooooasjooooooo

Kid Curry had gathered together what he needed and was on the roof of the barn starting on his second row of shingles when he heard the sound of approaching horses. Must be the lady of the house and her husband back from town. He descended the ladder to meet them when they arrived. Surely the lady wouldn't mind him asking for a little lunch. He had worked all morning after all.

He had just rounded the corner of the barn when the horses came into clear view. There were more coming back than had left. He thought briefly about getting his gelding and riding away, but by the time he could get him out of the barn and saddled, the riders would be there. He just sat down on a bale of hay and waited. Maybe he was worried over nothing.

A minute or so later, his fear was confirmed. Two of the riders wore tin stars on their vests. He stood and thought about what he was going to say. He found himself wishing for his partner's silver tongue.

The sheriff and his posse skidded to a stop with their guns drawn. The farm lady was just now coming into view, alone in her wagon. Sheriff Murray jumped down from his saddle in one smooth motion.

"Kid Curry, I'm placing you under arrest."

"I think you got the wrong man Sheriff. My name is Jones." Kid did his best imitation of something he'd heard Heyes say before.

"No sir Mr. Curry. Mrs. Baker was quite adament about having Kid Curry out working on her barn. Seems her husband was in a bank that was hit by the Devil's Hole Gang once and got a real good luck at one of the men holding the bank patrons at gunpoint while his partner was back at the vault. He described the gunman real good to her. Now, with your left hand, give over the hardware nice and slow.

Kid did what he could to hide the disappointing smirk on his face. He sighed as he handed over his Colt.

"Tie him up Palmer."

The deputy dismounted and tied Curry's hands behind him as another posses member went in the barn to get his horse. By the time they had the gelding saddled and the Kid in the saddle, Mrs. Baker pulled up in her wagon. Kid tried not to look at her, but that didn't stop her from staring at him.

"I'm sorry Mr. Curry, but my husband and I could really use that reward money right about now." She actually looked kind of sorry, but not enough to reverse her accusation. Kid said nothing as he looked straight ahead.

"Thank you Mrs. Baker. You can come into town tomorrow and we'll talk about that reward. Of course you'll understand we'll have to have Curry's identity confirmed first." Sheriff Murray climbed aboard his horse and motioned for Deputy Palmer to take Curry's reins in his hand to lead him back to town. Kid dropped and slightly shook his head as they started the ride.

ooooooooooooooasjoooooooooo

After being robbed and handcuffed to a tree, Heyes was even more deep in thought. How could he let that happen to himself? His brow was furrowed as he rode up to the mine. As he approached, one of the men, who was apparently the mine foreman, came walking up to meet him. He didn't look happy at all.

"Who are you and what are you doing here?" he demanded.

Heyes forced a smile onto his face."My name is Joshua Smith. I was hired to bring these documents up here," Heyes explained.

"I told that banker not to be sending anymore men up here to try to serve me that nonsense. Now, you just turn that horse back around and go tell Reynolds my brother owns this land fair and square and he ain't got no legal reason to foreclose on it."

Heyes kept his friendly smile directed at the irate man. "Well now, I'm sure I have no idea what you're talking about. I was just told to deliver this envelope for fifty dollars. But I'd be glad to take a message back to this man Reynolds if you like." Heyes was trying his best to charm this man into a friendlier mood, but unfortunately, it didn't seem to be working.

The man's companion stepped forward to put in his two cents. "Looks like old Reynolds went and hired himself a gunslinger to do his dirty work. A man don't wear his gun like that less'n he means to use it."

Heyes turned his gaze on the minion. "Sir, I assure you, I'm not a gunslinger. Why, I hardly ever pick this thing up out of the holster."

The two men weren't buying it. "Is that so? You just happened to have it tied down like that for no reason? I don't think so. Now, git off that horse." The man backed up as he spoke and squared up to Heyes.

Heyes sighed inwardly. This was supposed to have been the easy job. "Really, can't we just talk this over? Look, just take the envelope. I don't care what you do once you have it. Tear it up if you want. Say you lost it or it got destroyed before you got a chance to read it. All I want is to be able to tell that banker I delivered this and get paid."

The foreman had heard enough. He pulled his revolver and leveled it at Heyes. "The man said to get off your horse."

Heyes stared a hole through the men as he dismounted. "I'm telling you, I'm NOT a gunfighter."

"We'll see about that." His opponent sneered at him. Heyes wasn't slow, but he found himself wishing he had his partner's speed. A tense few seconds passed and the man went for his gun. Heyes quickly jerked his pistol out of the holster to aim at the man's shoulder, but before he could fire, the foreman saw that his minion was going to be beat. He fired his gun which he already had aimed at Heyes and hit the ex-outlaw square in the chest.

Heyes felt like his heart had exploded as he hit the ground. The last thing he heard was the man asking his friend why had he interfered. Then blackness overtook him.

oooooooasjooooooo

Kid Curry had been sitting in the jail cell for about two hours wondering where his cousin was. That question was answered when Deputy Palmer burst into the sheriff's office.

"Sheriff, we need to get up to the mine. One of their security guards just took a dead man on horseback up in front of the bank door. He hollered and told Newman not to be sending anymore men with those fake papers up to the mine and then rode off."

Kid's breath caught in his throat. It couldn't be...

"Who was the poor man?" Sheriff Murray asked as he rose and grabbed his hat.

"Newman told me his name was Joshua Smith."

"You stay here and guard the prisoner. I'll go take care of this." Murray hurried out the office door.

Kid felt like he was going to pass out right there on the bunk. Heyes couldn't be dead. He just couldn't. He cursed himself for letting Heyes go up there. He had decided that morning over breakfast that he was taking that job. His head fell into his hands as he fought back the tears forming in his eyes. He was in shock, completely heartbroken ...and alone.

ooooooasjooooooo

_COCK-A-DOODLE-DOOOO...COCK-A-DOO..."_

_BANG_

_"SQUAAAWWKK..."_

"What the..." Heyes eyes flew open and he immediately grabbed his chest. There was no blood nor any sign or symptom that he had ever been shot through the heart. He sat up, looked himself over, then quickly got up and looked out the window. Just as before, in the street below, the sheriff or deputy was pushing a staggering drunk who had apparently just shot a rooster toward the jail. Heyes grabbed the windowsill with both hands. "I got shot yesterday," he whispered to himself. "I was shot dead." His eyes wide, he looked down and checked himself thoroughly once more. He was perfectly fine. He looked up. "This day IS repeating..."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

oooooasjooooo

'It's impossible', Heyes thought. As he came to the realization of the repeating day, Kid opened the door and walked in.

"Mornin' Heyes."

Heyes turned to stare at his partner, a wild look on his face. He ran over to him and grabbed him by the shoulders causing Kid to drop a little of the coffee he was holding on the floor.

"Kid, I know this is going to sound like the most insane thing you've ever heard, but you have to believe me."

Curry was taken back by the panic in his partner's eyes.

"Kid,...this day is repeating itself."

"Uh...what?" The gunslinger shrugged out of his cousin's grip and sat a sandwich and what was left of the coffee on the dresser.

Heyes ran his hand through his hair and tried to calm down. "This day is repeating. This is the third or fourth time we've woke up here."

Curry furrowed his brow. "Repeating days. Mhmm. Heyes, have you been drinkin'?"

"NO I HAVE NOT! We went through this yesterday morning and I ain't doing it again. I ain't drunk, sick, crazy, or anything else. And I AIN'T going to the doctor so just forget about that."

"I hadn't thought about it, but now that you mention it..."

"I was SHOT DEAD yesterday. Shot! Right through the heart. But, here I am this morning trying to convince you I ain't crazy. Now explain that."

"Heyes, if you were shot dead, I reckon I'd be buryin' you by now, not listenin' to this wild imagination of yours."

The ex-outlaw leader threw his partner a look. "I was shot in the chest yesterday. I'm fine this morning. Not a mark on me. Well, not any new ones. Anyway, what possible reason could I have to make up a story like this?"

"To get out of workin'."

Heyes started getting dressed. "Kid, listen. You are the only person who could ever tell when I was lying. Well, what does that sixth sense tell you now?"

Curry had to admit it. Heyes had him there. "I don't think YOU think you're lyin'. But days don't repeat themselves Heyes. I think something's really wrong with you. Maybe somebody drugged your beer last night at the bar or somethin'."

Heyes exhaled in aggravation as he pulled his boots on. "Alright. Don't believe me. I'm telling you I'm fine and I'm going out to try to figure out what's going on. You just make sure you go on that delivery job."

"Where are you gonna go?"

"Somewhere to find some answers." With that, Heyes left the room letting the door slam behind him.

Kid dropped down in a chair. What in the world was wrong with his cousin? Had he lost his mind. He got up to go follow him. As he opened the door, he found Heyes about to come back in.

"And listen, don't be following me. I don't need no babysitter. We got three dollars between us so GO on that delivery job." Heyes turned and left.

"Fine," Kid said to thin air. Then it hit him. "How did he know about the job? I hadn't told him yet..."

oooooasjooooo

Heyes had no idea where to start. He'd never heard of or even thought something like this could happen. He stopped in the lobby of the hotel to think a second. Maybe he could talk to some of the old timers of the town. They should know if something like this had happened before. He turned to the hotel clerk.

"Excuse me. I'm a writer and I'm trying to find out some history about this town you know of anybody that could help me?"

The clerk thought for a moment. "Well, there's that old farmer Turner. I saw him in town earlier. You might catch him before he leaves if you head to the livery."

"NO," Heyes said a little too forcefully. He remembered it was Turner that had identified him the day before yesterday...or two days ago...whenever. The clerk looked at him strangely. "I mean, I saw him the other day and he just sent me to talk to the sheriff. I'm talking about townsfolk that's been here a long while. I'm sure there's someone older than Turner I can talk to isn't there?"

Again, the clerk took a minute to think. "Well, you might go see Widow Logan. She's as old as the hills. Lives on the north side of town in the boarding house. But I warn you, her mind's not what it used to be. Sometimes she'll start a story and you'll wind up hearing the biggest tall tale in the country. Why, she once told me she fought off a whole band of Apache with nothing but a broom and a bucket of potatoes."

Heyes grinned. "Thanks. I'll give it a try." He left the hotel and stood on the boardwalk. If he remembered right, this was about the time that Turner man would be going into the livery. Thankfully, he was going in the other direction.

He had to pass by the jail and by doing so, saw the sheriff leave and lock the door to his office. Heyes inconspicuously lowered his head a little and tipped his hat to him. He kept walking and saw there were some kids playing in front of the general store a little further down and across the street with a ball. As he neared the boarding house, a lady was sweeping the porch.

"Morning Ma'am," he said as he walked up. "My name is Joshua Smith and I was looking to visit the Widow Logan. I'm a writer and wanted to talk to her about some history."

The lady stopped her sweeping to look him over. "You don't look like a writer."

Heyes flashed her a dazzling smile. "Well, I like to try to blend in where ever I go. I don't like to be noticed."

The lady raised an eyebrow at him. "Well, you sure are a slick one," she said.

"Not so much slick as charming I assure you."

The lady finally smiled at that remark. "C'mon in. I think Widow Logan is sitting in the second floor parlor." She turned and led the way inside.

oooooasjooooo

Kid Curry was worried about his cousin. Heyes had always been a little weird at times, but this was a whole new level of weirdness. He decided that if Heyes was still talking about repeating days when he got back from delivering these papers, he'd make him see a doctor one way or another.

Kid was so preoccupied, he missed the sun glint slightly off something metal in the trees. As he neared the place in the woods that the hidden bandit was in, he had the sensation of being watched. Quickly, he drew his Colt and called out, "I know you're there. You might as well come out with your hands up."

A man emerged from the trees. His hand was raised, but not in the way that Curry had meant. "Alright mister. You better just throw that gun down before I shoot you. This here's a robbery and I don't care to do it."

Curry glared at the man. He could see in his eyes that he was nervous. Must be new to the business. A nervous man with a gun was never a good thing. In an instant, he made a decision and shot the gun out of the bandit's hand.

The man's eyes grew wide as saucers and he nearly peed himself. He wheeled around and ran back into the trees.

"Hey, get back out here," Kid called.

The scared man did indeed come back out, but he was on his horse and he hightailed out of Curry's way.

Kid reholstered his pistol as the man rode around the bend and out of sight. "Well, at least maybe I made him rethink his career," he mused.

oooooasjooooo

"...And then a few more injuns come out of nowheres so's I grabbed some 'taters..."

Heyes concealed a smile as Widow Logan finished up her daring tale of bravery against a whole tribe of Apache attacking her small spread. She was almost as good at spinning a story as he was himself. Except, she believed it to be true. Maybe it was, he didn't know. "That's quite a tale Mrs. Logan."

"Ah shoot sonny. Call me Delores."

"Alright then, Delores. Say, can I ask you a question?"

"Listen sonny, I ain't interested in gittin' remarried. One man was enough."

Heyes chuckled silently. "Well, that's my loss then." Mrs. Logan giggled. "I wanted to ask you about the history of Destiny Loop."

"Well, you've come to the right place. I've lived here near all my life adult life."

"Has anything really...strange...ever happen around here?"

Delores sat deep in thought for a couple of moments. "I can't really recall anything out of the ordinary. Course, this wasn't always a civilized town. Used to be occupied by injuns, and lots of 'em. That was until after the war. Then some Calvary men came here and told them they had to move. Well, they didn't take too kindly to that at all. They spent three days I think it was fightin' afore them injuns started running out of arrows to shoot."

Heyes was intrigued. "What happened next?"

"Listen sonny. I can't hardly recall what I ate fer breakfast. You're lucky I 'member that much. Now, it's time fer my midday nap so's I'll just be gittin' back to my room. Good talkin' to you sonny." Delores grabbed her cane and was slowly rising out of her chair. Heyes stood to help her when he heard a commotion coming from out side. He and Delores both looked out the window to see a runaway wagon going down the street. At the same time, one of the smaller children that had been playing with the ball lost hold of it and ran after it. They watched in horror as the child ran directly into the side of the speeding buckboard and was thrown backward landing near the boardwalk.

It wasn't a second later that the town doctor ran over to her as some others mounted up to help chase down the wagon. Doctor Bowman bent down and listened to the child's chest as a woman, supposedly her mother, ran out of the general store hysterical. Bowman gently picked the child up and hurried to his office.

Both Heyes and Delores were relieved to see that the child hadn't been killed. Heyes took out his pocketwatch and noticed the time.

oooooasjooooo

As Heyes left the boarding house, he stopped to say goodbye to the lady that had let him in. Then a thought occurred to him. "Is there a library in this town?"

"No. Nothing like that here. We barely have enough books for the schoolhouse."

"Alright. Well, thanks ma'am." Heyes tipped his hat to her and left the house. He slowly walked along the boardwalk trying to decide where he could find out some more information. He had to be careful. At least one man in the area knew who he was. He decided he needed a drink.

He walked into an almost empty saloon. The evening had barely started so many of the establishment's patrons hadn't made it in yet. He walked up and leaned on the bar with a distant look in his eye. The bartender walked up.

"What'll you have?"

Heyes brought his mind back to where he was. "A beer."

The barkeep studied Heyes as he poured his beverage. "You look like you're a thousand miles away. What's on your mind?"

Heyes looked up. "Huh? Oh, ah, nothing." He took a drink of amber liquid.

"Uh huh. I been bartendin' a looong time. I know that look. Is it a woman?"

Deciding the bartender was going to be persistant, he answered, "No, not a woman." He took another drink. "So, you been around here awhile have you?"

"Almost ten years."

"Has anything...strange, or weird...ever happen around here?"

"We've had some strange characters come through here from time to time, but not nothin' much out of the ordinary I don't guess."

Heyes just grunted in reply. Another drink. "Know anything about the indians that used to live in these parts?"

"Indians? No, not much. Just know they got run off their land here a while back right before the town was formed."

Heyes just nodded in reply. He looked at his watch as some people began to file into the saloon. The Kid should be back in a couple of hours. Maybe he could wait around for a poker game to start.

oooooasjooooo

"Call," Heyes said as he spread out his full house on the table. He had started with two dollars and now had twenty laying in front of him.

"Dang it!" the last man holding cards yelled as he threw his hand down in disgust. "I don't know how, but you must be cheatin'."

"I assure you I'm not cheating," Heyes smiled as he raked in yet another pot.

"Well, I say ya are," the man growled.

"And I say you shouldn't be so expressive when you get a bad hand," Heyes countered. This brought a few laughs around the table. The man glared at Heyes and looked as if he were going to stand up to challenge the master poker player when his buddy next to him slapped him on the back.

"Now Charley, he's got you there!"

"Nobody can read me at cards," Charley insisted.

His friend laughed. "EVERYBODY can read you like a book. That's why you rarely get out of here with your shirt on."

Heyes's laugh joined in with the others. "Told you Charley. Why don't you take your last two bits and go get a drink."

Charley sneered as he grabbed his last few coins and left the saloon, knocking his chair over in the process.

"Some fellas just don't know how to lose," Heyes said as he started to shuffle the cards.

"Yeah, and Charley sure is one of 'em. I'd stay clear of him the rest of the night. He's pretty unpredictable when he's loaded and lost money."

oooooasjooooo

The game continued for another thirty minutes before Heyes got up to leave. Kid was due to show up any minute so he decided to just meet him outside to go get something to eat. He stepped outside on the boardwalk and looked toward the end of town. 'Right on time,' he thought as he saw his partner leaving the livery stable.

"Hey Thaddeus," Heyes called to get his attention. He started walking towards him. He had to pass an alley and as he did, a man came out and walked up behind him. Kid saw the movement in the shadows.

"HEY...JOSHUA! BEHIND YOU!" he yelled and drew his gun but the man was directly behind Heyes.

Heyes started to turn, but as he did, the man known as Charley stabbed a hunting knife into his back. Heyes collapsed to his knees. At the same time, Kid's surprise turned to fury and he emptied his gun into the man. Charley fell on his back bleeding, dead before he hit the ground.

Curry ran to his partner who was now laying on his stomach. He rolled him onto his side. "Heyes!"

By this time, the gunshots had brought out the saloon crowd and the sheriff. "What's going on over here?" Sheriff Murray yelled as he ran over. When he saw what had happened, he called out, "Somebody go get the doc now!"

Kid was still trying to get Heyes to answer him. "Hey...Joshua. Joshua, you hear me?" Panic was evident in his voice.

Heyes tried to speak but it came out as a whisper. "Kid?"

"Yeah, Joshua. It's 'Thaddeus'. You're gonna be fine." He wished he could be as confident as he made his voice sound.

"What happened?" Sheriff Murray asked as he knelt down.

"My partner here was coming to meet me at the livery when this idiot came out of that alley and stabbed him in his back." Kid was furious and scared. He could hardly keep his voice from quivering.

Murray looked back at the man. "Looks like ole' Charley must've lost bad at poker again. I warned him he'd go to far one of these days. I take it you were the one that shot him?"

Curry looked at the sheriff. "Yeah, it was me," he said flatly. He looked back at Heyes as he started to cough. "Joshua? Joshua?!"

Doctor Bowman then showed up. His voiced was hurried. "C'mon. Help me get him to my office." Between Kid, Murray, and the doc, they got Heyes carried to the office in no time. They laid him face down on the table. "It's going to be tricky taking this knife out."

"Just do it Doc and hurry!" Kid felt like he was going to pass out any moment. He bent over and looked at Heyes. He was deathly pale. "Don't you leave me Joshua."

To Heyes, Kid sounded like he was on the other side of a train tunnel. All he heard was 'Joshua' as he slipped into darkness.

oooooasjooooo

_COCK-A-DOODLE-DOOOO...COCK-A-DOO..."_

_BANG_

_"SQUAAAWWKK..."_

"What the..." Heyes eyes flew open and he sat up in bed. After a second, he fell back onto his pillow as he exhaled loudly. "Thank God."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

oooooooooasjooooooooo

Hannibal Heyes jumped out of bed and started getting dressed. Somehow, he had to get to the bottom of whatever was happening to him. Apparently, he was the only one affected by the repeating day. Everytime he'd tried to explain it to his cousin, Curry had thought he'd lost his mind. He decided not to try it today. He needed some time to get his brain around what was going on and proving to Kid he wasn't insane wasn't productive.

As he came to that conclusion, Kid Curry walked in the door.

"Mornin' Heyes."

Heyes turned toward him. "Morning Kid."

"Went out to get some breakfast and a paper. Didn't want to wake ya, so I just brought you something back."

"Thanks."

"Were you awake in time to see the excitement?"

"The excitement is what woke me up." Heyes went to the wash basin to wipe the sleepiness from his eyes.

Curry sat the coffee and food on the table. "Since we're runnin' low on money, I was glancin' at this paper while I ate and saw a couple ads for jobs. One's out at a small ranch patchin' up a barn. The other's deliverin' some documents out to a mine."

Heyes spoke before Kid could continue. "I'll take the barn job. You go deliver the

papers."

Kid was caught off guard. It wasn't like Heyes to want the harder job. He eyed him carefully. "Heyes, you feelin' alright?"

"You've asked me that for the past...," Heyes stopped mid sentence. He had started to say 'past four mornings', but that would just provoke an interrogation. "I mean, how come you're always asking me that?"

"Because sometimes, you're just plain weird. But, if you insist, I guess I'll take the delivery job." Curry was smiling on the inside.

"Fine. Shouldn't you be going?"

Kid once again studied Heyes. "If I didn't know better, I'd think you were trying to get rid of me."

Heyes finished drying his face off. "No. You just want to make sure you go grab that job up before someone else does. Easy jobs advertised in the paper don't stay open for long."

Kid was still staring at him. "Well, I guess you're right."

"Of course I'm right. How many times have we found an easy job advertised only to find it filled when we got there to take it?"

"Alright, I'm goin'." Curry rolled his eyes and started for the door.

"I'll be leaving myself as soon as I eat this."

"Well, be careful. You know you have trouble nailin' two boards together."

"I'll be fine," Heyes smirked, hoping in his mind that his statement would be true today. Getting killed off the last couple of days had him wary. He watched as Kid left, then sat down at the table to eat and collect his thoughts.

'Alright,' he thought. 'I went to the barn, ended up arrested because of the old man at the livery. Went to the mine, got killed. Stayed in town, played poker, got killed. Who've I ran into...? Sheriff Murray on multiple occasions, Widow Logan, that guy that tried to rob me, those jerks at the mine, those fellas at the poker table, that old farmer Turner...was that all...? It's all running together...WAIT...there was someone else. That guy that works in the stable. Everytime I'm near the livery, he's been staring a hole through me, but he's not turned me in, so he must not know who I am. BUT...maybe he knows something else...'.

Mind made up, Heyes finished his sandwich and coffee and left the hotel room. After looking to make sure ole' Turner was gone home, he headed toward the livery stable.

The stable man looked up and smiled as Heyes entered. "Hello," the man said with a seemingly knowing smile. He leaned his pitchfork up against the wall of one of the stalls and wiped his hands with his bandana. Upon closer inspection, Heyes noticed the man's skin had a darker tint to it, like an Indian.

"Howdy," Heyes answered. "Say, you got a couple of minutes to spare?"

The man looked around and seeing they were alone said, "Why yes I do...Mr. Heyes."

Heyes was shocked to say the least, but kept his poker face in place. "You must have me mistaken for somebody else. My name's Joshua Smith."

The man smiled even larger. "Alright then Mr. ...Smith. We will go with that. So, what can I do for you?"

"Well, for starters, how long have you been around this town? I'm trying to find out some information."

"Mr. Hey...Smith. Ask me what is really on your mind."

"Excuse me?"

"You are in the middle of a rather...unusual situation and you are trying to find out what's going on."

There emerged a crack in Heyes' facade, but only slightly. He managed to maintain his neutral look. "What do you mean?"

"Do you seem to be waking up in the same place day after day, doing, not maybe the same thing, but something similar perhaps. Are you stuck in a seemingly endless...loop?"

Heyes' look finally faltered. He couldn't hold it in any longer. "Alright buddy. What do you know?"

"Calm down Mr. Heyes. It is alright, I assure you."

"It is most certainly NOT alright. I've been here in this crazy town for four, five days now. Or is it really just one? I don't know. I DO know I want some answers. I seem to be the only one affected by it. My own partner thinks I'm nuts if I tell him about it. So, I'll ask you again...WHAT do you know?"

"Mr. Heyes..."

"Smith."

"Mr...Smith, I think there is someone else you need to talk to. He lives south of here, right outside of town in a little one-room cabin. He is known as Cat Of A Thousand Circles by his people. He told all the townspeople to just to call him Cat."

"But why..."

"Just go Mr. Smith. You may be enlightened." With that, the man turned back to his work.

Heyes sighed in exasperation. Giving in, he saddled his horse and went to find this Cat person.

oooooasjooooo

Heyes rode about fifteen minutes south of Destiny Loop. Sure enough, over a little ridge, was a small cabin with a little garden growing beside it. A fire pit built from rocks lay on the other side of the house. He rode up to the porch and dismounted. The place actually looked quite cozy and well kept. He knocked on the door. A moment later, it opened.

"I have been waiting for you to show up Mr. Heyes," said a wizened Indian with long gray hair. "Please come in."

Heyes hesitated a moment. "It's Joshua Smith and how could you know I, or anyone, was coming?"

"No, Mr. Heyes. Your name is not Joshua, it is Hannibal. Do not fear. I have no desire or need to claim the price on your head."

He didn't know if it was the kind, calming way the Indian spoke, or just his general demeanor, but Heyes believed him. Besides, he wasn't going to argue with anyone that could possibly explain to him what was going on with this crazy day. He walked inside.

"Please, sit down. My tribe's customs do not permit me to tell you my given birth name, but to the white man, I am known as Cat Of A Thousand Circles. You may call me Cat."

"You can call me whatever you want if you can tell me what's going on around here," Heyes said as he sat down in a chair made from wood and elk antlers.

"You have been experiencing an unusual phenomenon, have you not?"

"That's one way to put it."

"Hannibal, there are things in this world beyond comprehension. Like, why do some things happen? What would happen if you had done something differently, followed a different path, taken things into your own hands instead of letting others take control. Take yourself for instance. You have no doubt questioned your path many times. Was this path chosen for me? Can I change it? Is destiny written for every child born into this world before they are even here? Unfortunately, I do not have the answers."

Heyes opened his mouth to speak, but Cat put up his hand.

"I am one of the last remaining members of my tribe. They were ran off this land many years ago. My father was chief at that time. When the white man came and forced my people to leave, my father spoke a curse on this land. I was small at the time and do not remember all he said. All I know is that for some people who enter this land, they shall forever be in an endless loop, destined to relive the same day forever. People of the tribe were exempt from the curse if any chose to come back, but we can and have seen it happen to certain people. That is how myself and my half brother at the livery stable know who you are. We have seen and heard all that has happened to you so far."

"I've never heard of such a thing. I don't...didn't even believe in things like curses. So, how do I break it?"

"That, I do not know. Some men have never broken the loop. Their only way out was death by natural causes, old age. Twice, men have found the secret to break the loop. But I cannot say what it was."

"You mean to tell me I could be stuck reliving this same day until I die of old age?"

"Yes," Cat rose to stand in front of the window. "Unless, you find the secret that will lead you out."

Heyes closed his eyes and sighed.

Cat turned to face him. "Do not worry Hannibal. I am sure with your level of intelligence, you will resolve the puzzle."

Heyes stood up. "Well, thank you for your time Mr...uh, Cat. I think I'll head back to town now." He walked toward the door. Cat opened it for him.

"Remember Hannibal, this town is named Destiny Loop for a reason."

"Yeah. It's destined to drive me crazy. Well, goodbye." Heyes went out and mounted his horse.

"Goodbye Hannibal,...and good luck."

oooooasjooooo

Heyes rode back into town. He wanted, no, he needed a drink. He was definitely NOT going to play poker this time though, unless it was a game that that guy Charlie wasn't in. Getting stabbed in the back once was enough. He dropped his horse off at the livery and walked toward the saloon. He pulled out his pocketwatch to check the time and as he did, he heard a commotion from somewhere way down the street. A runaway wagon rounded the corner and was headed straight down main street. Heyes remembered the incident from the day before and took off at a run toward the general store.

Just as a ball bounced out in the street, he leapt and grabbed a small child who had started after it. The wagon flew by at that moment. The child was startled by being grabbed and began to cry. A woman ran out of the general store to see her daughter in the arms of the ex-outlaw on the ground. Rage filled her eyes until witnesses began to thank and congratulate Heyes on probably saving the little girl's life. The woman was quickly filled in on what had transpired and ran to her daughter to sweep her up in a hug. Heyes picked himself up off the ground and the woman turned to him. Placing her daughter on her hip, she immediately embraced Heyes in a hug as well.

"Oh thank you thank you THANK YOU!" the woman cried. I could never thank you enough for saving my little Lily!" She let go of Heyes and started digging in her bag. "I don't have much, but here, take it please." She reached her hand out which held a dollar and two bits.

Heyes closed her hand over the money. "Seeing your little girl alright is thanks enough," he said politely.

"At least let me treat you to dinner," she insisted. "You can at least come to my house and let me fix you a homecooked supper."

"Really, I..." Heyes started to decline, but the watery eyes of the thankful mother changed his mind. "Well, if you insist ma'am."

"Please, call me Annie."

oooooasjooooo

She led him to a small house on the outskirts of town. It was a modest little house with two bedrooms and a small garden.

Annie bustled around the kitchen as Heyes played with little Lily at the kitchen table. "I hope you like chicken stew Mr. Smith."

"Please, call me Joshua. And I happen to love chicken stew." Heyes was busy drawing a cat as requested by Lily.

"I still could never thank you enough for saving my Lily."

"It was nothing Annie. I just happened to be in the right place at the right time."

"Well, it means the world to me. Lily's all I got left after my husband passed."

"Sorry to hear that."

"We get by, don't we sweetie?"

Lily giggled as Heyes finished her kitty. She immediately asked for a horsey so her kitty would have a friend.

"Now Lily, don't pester Mr. Smith."

"Oh, she's no bother. I enjoy drawing on occasion." He stifled a smile as he thought back to all the plans and bank floorplans he had drawn out.

"Well, as soon as you're done with her horsey, it'll be time to eat."

"Sounds good." Heyes hurried and finished Lily's horsey which she named 'Joshua'. The kitty's name had become Lily.

Annie set the table with the help of Lily who insisted on giving Joshua his bowl, then served the stew.

"I have to say this is the best meal I've had in days," Heyes smiled.

And indeed it was.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

oooooasjooooo

_COCK-A-DOODLE-DOOOO...COCK-A-DOO..."_

_BANG_

_"SQUAAAWWKK..."_

Heyes' eyes flew open and he sat up in bed. "I'm beginning to hate that rooster." He rubbed his eyes and got up to get dressed. He had made a decision. He was going to make his cousin believe him today. Maybe he could help solve the mystery. The Kid had always had helpful input on his robbery plans, sometimes coming up with things he hadn't thought of. As he made his way to the water basin, the door opened and Kid Curry walked in.

"Mornin' Heyes."

Heyes turned to stare at his partner as he wiped his face off. No time like the present. "Kid, sit down. We need to talk."

Curry furrowed his brow. "Talk? About what?"

"Just...sit down."

Kid walked over to the chair beside the window and sat down. He put the cup of coffee, sandwich, and newspaper he held on the table beside him. "Alright, I'm sittin'. What do you want to talk about?"

Heyes sat down on the edge of the bed and faced his partner. "Kid, this is going to be REALLY hard for you to believe, but I swear to you I'm telling you the truth. Kid...this day is repeating for me."

Kid stared at his cousin. "Repeating...Heyes are you feelin' alright?"

Heyes rubbed his face with one hand. "I'm fine. I'm not drunk, sick, going crazy or anything else. I swear on a stack of Bibles this high I'm not trying to pull a joke on you. I'm dead serious. I've lived this same day at least four times now."

Kid cocked his head and glared at Heyes. "I think you need..."

"NO. I don't need to see a doctor. DANG IT. WHY DON'T YOU JUST BELIEVE ME?!"

"Calm down Heyes. If you're wantin' me to believe you ain't crazy, you're doin' a poor job of it."

Heyes shut his eyes tight. "Alright, if I'm just going insane, how would I know that you've been looking in that paper while you ate and found two jobs, one delivery and one fixing up a barn? Now explain that."

Kid glanced at the paper. How DID his partner know that? "Alright, you've got my attention. How on earth did you do that? You been spyin' on me this mornin'?"

"NO." Heyes lowered his voice. "No. I knew it because I've been through this before with you. You were also going to say you were going to do the deciding this time instead of my coin weren't you?"

Curry looked Heyes straight in the eyes. "Yeah, I was. But it's impossible Heyes. Days don't repeat. Once a day's gone, it's gone."

"No, it's not. In the last four days, I've been arrested and killed twice. But every morning, I wake up to that blasted rooster crowing like nothing's happened."

Curry couldn't quite believe what he was hearing. "No, it can't be true."

Heyes was exasperated. "Alright Kid, look out that window. In just a couple of minutes, the sheriff is about to leave his office and lock the door behind him. A lady is going to go down the boardwalk holding the hand of a little girl in a plain blue dress and ribbons in her hair and an old farmer who can identify me is going to walk towards the livery. Just watch."

Kid sighed but he looked out the window. A few minutes later, the events happened just as his cousin had said they would. He slowly turned back to face him. "How did you do that?"

"I ALREADY TOLD YOU!"

"Okay, okay. But why? And why is it only you doing it?"

"I have no idea. Yesterday, I went to talk to an old Indian. He told me I was stuck in a loop, but didn't say how I could get out of it. I have to figure it out unless I want to repeat this day until I die of old age. That's why I need you to believe me. I need some help. I'm not quite sure where to go from here."

"So you're telling me that tomorrow mornin', this day'll start over for you but I won't remember nothin' about it?"

"Yes. Unless I find the way to make it stop."

"Well, maybe we both could go talk to the Indian today. Maybe he'll tell us something more."

"Maybe, but I doubt it. Guess it couldn't hurt anything though. Let me drink that coffee and we'll go."

oooooasjooooo

Cat Of A Thousand Circles watched as two men rode toward his small cabin. He knew immediately who it was when the sun caught the silver conchos on the black hat just right. He walked out onto his porch to await their arrival.

Before they reached the cabin, Heyes turned in his saddle. "Now, this fella knows who we are. Well, at least he knows me. But I think we can trust him."

Curry looked concerned. "If you say so."

As they rode near, Heyes threw his hand up in greeting. "Howdy Cat. Brought a friend with me today. Hope you don't mind."

"Of course not Hannibal."

The boys reached the hitching post and dismounted. Cat shook Kid's hand.

"I take it this is your partner Hannibal. Welcome Mr. Curry. May I call you Jedediah?"

"Uh,...Jed will be fine." Curry found it unnerving being in the presence of a stranger who knew who he truly was. Cat picked up on his uneasiness.

"Do not worry Jed. As I told Hannibal yesterday, I have no desire or need to turn either of you in. Now, shall we go in?" Cat stepped back and allowed the two ex-outlaws to enter his cabin. "Please sit down. May I offer you something to drink?"

"No thanks Cat," Heyes said. He decided to get straight to the point. "I finally got my partner here to believe me. Are you sure there's nothing else you can tell us to help me figure out this problem?"

"I told you all I could yesterday. I have nothing new."

"Well, if you can't help him figure out an answer, is there any way that I could remember this in the mornin' so I could help him? If he has to spend every mornin' tryin' to explain what's happenin' to him, it'll drive us both nuts."

"I am truly sorry Jed. There is no way I know of. Everything resets every morning for Hannibal, except his memory."

"Well how come you ain't affected by the...whatever it is...resettin'?"

"My people are exempt from the...curse, if you want to call it that."

The disappointment was evident on both boys' faces. "Thanks anyway, Cat. We'll get going. Don't want to waste your time." Heyes stood to leave. Curry followed him out the door.

Cat stood in the doorway as the two mounted up. "Hannibal, I can tell you this one thing. Clarity is the path to inner peace."

Heyes was confused, but nodded at the old Indian. "See you around Cat." With that, they set off toward town.

oooooasjooooo

"I'm at a loss Kid," Heyes said as they neared town. "What's that supposed to mean, clarity is the path to inner peace? Reckon he's saying I need inner peace before this will stop?"

"I don't know, but if it is, you're up the creek."

"Gee thanks." Heyes stopped talking to think, but only for a second. "What do I need inner peace for? How does anybody have that? How on earth would you get it?"

"Why are you fixated on that? That might NOT be the answer. You said he said he didn't know the answer to tell you."

"Well, maybe he's telling me something that might help."

"I don't know Heyes. This is the weirdest thing I've ever heard of. The solution is probably just as strange."

"You could be right. Let's get a drink."

They dropped their horses off at the stable and made their way into an almost empty saloon. They got a couple of beers and a table in the back corner. Heyes sipped his, deep in thought.

"Heyes, maybe you're thinkin' too hard on this. This is somethin' that don't make sense. Maybe tryin' to think logically about it ain't gonna work this time." Kid drained a third of his glass in one gulp.

"You know, usually you're telling me to get my head OUT of the clouds."

"I'm serious. You might have to get a little creative to solve this. You've certainly done it before. Ain't always worked, but you done it."

Heyes took a good long drink of amber liquid. "My plans have always worked...in some form..."

Kid smirked at the comment. No use arguing that point. It never led to anything good.

"But you're right Kid. And I just thought of the first creative thing I'm going to try. I'm going to beat that drunk to shooting that rooster in the morning. Maybe that stupid bird is the key." Heyes finished his beer and stood to leave.

Kid almost choked on his.

oooooasjooooo

Two ex-outlaws crept through the shadows at 5 a.m. behind the town's buildings.

"Heyes, this is crazy. I was talkin' about thinkin' creatively, not insanely. You don't even need me here. I don't think the rooster will be armed. Even you can get the drop on him."

"SHH. You might scare the rooster off. He must be around here somewhere." Heyes stealthily moved through the dark. "Alright, judging from the direction the sheriff pulls that drunk from every morning, that rooster must come through here. All we have to do is sit and wait for it."

"No. All YOU have to do is sit and wait for it. I'm too tired to be involved in bird murder. You've lost your mind. I'm goin back to the hotel room and lay down. Have fun." Curry turned to leave.

"Well go quietly," Heyes hissed. As his partner left, Heyes pulled out his revolver, sat back against the back of a building, and got comfortable to wait for the arrival of the foul bird.

Thirty minutes later, his head dropped to his chest as he lost the battle to stay awake.

oooooasjooooo

_COCK-A-DOODLE-DOOOO...COCK-A-DOO..."_

_BANG_

_"SQUAAAWWKK..."_

Heyes' eyes flew open and he sat up in bed. "CRAP! I fell asleep."


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Hannibal Heyes jumped out of bed and started getting dressed. He stopped in the middle of buttoning up his shirt. Why was he in such a hurry? Apparently, he had all the time in the world. This repetition was really starting to drive him crazy. What he needed was a day to relax and think without running all over creation like a rat drinking coffee. He finished buttoning his shirt and pulled on his vest, boots, and gun belt. Kid Curry opened the door as Heyes reached it. He started talking before Curry had a chance.

"Sorry Kid. Gotta run. Found a job and gotta be there quick. Tell you about it later." And with that, he was gone down the hallway and stairs.

Kid just stood staring after him for a minute. "What the heck was that all about?" He walked in the room and sat down the items he was carrying. "Guess I'll just take this delivery job."

oooooasjooooo

Heyes waited until old man Turner had left the livery and went in to get his horse. He touched his hat and nodded at the stable man as he saddled up. He didn't know or care where he was going exactly. He just wanted away for a while.

He pointed his mare out of town and into a canter. He had noticed there was a creek near the town and decided to spend some time beside it. A nice, quiet, shady tree where he could lay and think sounded pretty good at the moment.

He rode about thirty minutes before he found the perfect spot. A small boulder situated next to a bristlecone pine right at the water's edge. He dismounted and led his horse over to the serene looking place and loosely tied the reins to the tree so she could graze on the grasses. He walked over and sat down in the shade, back against the boulder. Staring at the water gently flowing by, he began to think.

What had Cat meant when he had said, 'Clarity is the path to inner peace'? Did it mean he needed to find peace within himself before the loop would break? What peace? He had so many troubles in his life, he didn't know if peace was possible within himself. Or maybe it wasn't that at all. Maybe he was there to do or prevent something. He sure wished he could find those guys who had managed to break the loop and ask them how they did it. This wasn't going to be something solved by his silver tongue or his cousin's fast draw. At least he didn't think so. There had to be a clue as to what would break it. And he had to find it. He didn't want to spend the rest of his life living one day over and over. Monotony was not something he enjoyed.

He watched some birds playing on the other side of the creek. Innocent little birds. He couldn't remember the last time he'd been called innocent. He wished he could be free as a bird. But thanks to the governor, freedom just kept being dangled in front of him, just out of reach. Not only him, but his partner too. His ever faithful partner. His cousin, whom he had led into a life of crime. He felt so much responsibility and guilt over that. He often wondered if the Kid held it against him.

Heyes decided to stop that train of thought. It was just depressing. He turned his mind back to the loop theories. Kid wasn't affected by it so it had to be something to do with just himself.

Heyes felt tired, physically and mentally. The soft gurgle of water flowing over rocks actually began to relax him. His eyes started feeling heavy just sitting there and before he realized it, he was asleep.

oooooasjooooo

He'd been asleep for a while before he woke up. He stood up and stretched. A boulder didn't make the best pillow. A thought hit him as he stood. Had he been in town every night during this loop business? It was actually hard for him to remember. The days were all running together. Maybe if he stayed out of town, he wouldn't get woke up by that blasted rooster, and therefore, the loop would end. It was worth a try. He mounted up and headed back to town to get his bedroll. He'd make up some story to tell Kid.

oooooasjooooo

He got back to town and stopped in the saloon to get a drink. Then he went to the cafe and got a couple of sandwiches to take with him. He made his way to the hotel to pick up his bedroll and leave Kid a message saying he'd got hired to do an overnight delivery and that he'd be back in the morning. Hopefully, his partner wouldn't come looking for him.

He was tying his bedroll behind his saddle when a man walked out of the cafe and stood watching him. Heyes mounted up and when he turned his horse around, the man looked off quickly. But he looked back to watch the ex-outlaw ride out of town.

oooooasjooooo

Heyes was going at a leisurely trot when he heard a horse coming up behind him fast. That always made him nervous and he urged his mare into a canter. Then a gunshot rang out and he took off at a full gallop. Who in the world was chasing him? It was only one horse he heard so it wasn't a posse. Who cared? He just needed to worry about getting away.

He was gaining a little ground on his pursuer when his horse's front left leg found a hole in the road and fell, landing hard on her rider's leg. She scrambled up and limped off a little ways, clearly upset while Heyes lay on the ground. He gritted his teeth in pain. He just knew his leg was broken. Trying to stand just confirmed his fear. He looked down and his lower leg was curved in a rather unnatural way.

The pursuing rider saw his bounty go down and quit shooting. He slid to a stop. "Hold it right there, Heyes.," the bounty hunter ordered.

"I ain't got no choice now do I," Heyes said testily. "My leg's broke. And I AIN'T Hannibal Heyes."

"Oh yes you are. I've seen you before. Just didn't get a chance to go after you before a posse did. Guess it's my lucky day. Seeing you out running around without your bodyguard and now you can't run at all from me," the bounty hunter sneered. "And to think I just stopped in town for a cup of coffee."

"You gonna just sit there and gloat or you gonna help me up?"

The bounty hunter laughed and jumped off his horse. He took Heyes' gun. "Put your hands behind your back."

Heyes glared at the man but complied. His hands were quickly and tightly restrained.

He then went and retrieved Heyes' mare to lead her back. Her limp wasn't as bad now Heyes noticed. At least her leg wasn't broken.

"Now, I ain't gonna make your horse suffer, so's you're gonna ride double with me." The bounty hunter grabbed Heyes under his arms and jerked him up none too gently.

"OW! You think you could be a little more careful?"

"Probably could." The bounty hunter helped Heyes hop over and pushed him up onto his gelding's back. Then he mounted up behind him. "Now, you ain't going nowhere. And if you start that mouth of yours, I'll gag you." He grabbed the reins to Heyes' horse and rode back to town.

oooooasjooooo

The cell door clanged shut. Heyes really hated that sound.

"Don't worry Mr. Heyes," Sheriff Murray said. "Doc should be here in no time to take a look at you."

"Thanks Sheriff," Heyes squeaked out between short rapid breaths. He tried to get a little comfortable on the bunk, but that was near impossible with his leg hurting as bad as it was. He really wasn't all that worried. He hadn't done anything of any significance so the loop should start over again in the morning and he'd be good as new. In the meantime though, he was in serious pain. That ride into town had about killed him. He made a mental note not to go in the cafe in the afternoons.

The door to the sheriff's office opened and Doc Bowman hurried in. He and the sheriff made their way to Heyes' cell. Murray opened the door.

"Never thought I'd be working on an infamous outlaw," Bowman said setting his bag and supplies down. Heyes gave a snarky smile. Sheriff Murray brought the doc a chair. "Now, let's see what the damage is." He examined Heyes' leg carefully. After a couple of moments, "Yep, that leg is definitely broken. Going to have to put splints on it after I make sure the bones are aligned." Bowman reached in his bag and pulled out a bottle of whiskey. "Here. You're going to need lots of this before we start."

oooooasjooooo

Later that evening, Kid Curry walked into the saloon after his job for a drink. He got the bartender's attention and ordered a beer. Next to him, stood a man talking about the outlaw he had just fixed up over in the jail. Curry inwardly moaned. He could guess who that outlaw was, but he had to make sure.

"Excuse me, I couldn't help overhearing. What outlaw did you fix up?"

Doc Bowman grinned. "Hannibal Heyes. Can you believe that?"

Kid kept his poker face on. "What was wrong with him?"

"Broke his leg somehow. Some bounty hunter brought him in."

Curry didn't want to leave immediately so he wouldn't draw attention to himself. So he drunk half the glass of beer, then left. He walked into the alley behind the jail and found a window. He had to stand on a crate to see in. Sure enough, there was his partner, laid out on the bunk with splints on his leg. He looked to be asleep. Probably from laudanum the doc had given him for pain. Curry decided to let him sleep a while, then he would come back to talk to him.

oooooasjooooo

_COCK-A-DOODLE-DOOOO...COCK-A-DOO..."_

_BANG_

_"SQUAAAWWKK..."_

Heyes' eyes flew open and he just laid there. He moved his leg just to make sure he was alright. Just as before, he was fine. He stared at the ceiling. He felt like just giving up but he couldn't.

He was still staring at the ceiling when Kid walked in holding, as usual, a sandwich, a newspaper, and a cup of coffee.

"Mornin' Heyes."

"I'm in Hell."

Curry stopped in his tracks. "What was that?"

"I said I'm in Hell. Somewhere, at some point, something killed me and now, I'm in

Hell."

Curry didn't know how to respond to that.

"And my eternal punishment for all my wrong-doing is reliving this same dang day over, and over, and over."

Kid furrowed his brow and sat his items on the table. "Heyes, what's wrong with you?"

Heyes was unnervingly calm with his statements, at least at the start. "I already said it. I'm reliving this same daNG DAY! IT WON'T STOP, NO MATTER WHAT I DO OR WHAT HAPPENS."

Kid just stared at the disturbed ex-outlaw leader. "Ooookaaayyyy."

Heyes jumped up at that moment. He pointed his finger at the confused man. "I'm NOT crazy Kid. Don't look at me like that." He started getting dressed.

"Well what do you expect? You wake up telling me something like that and everything's supposed to be normal?"

"I ain't going through this again." A shirt was put on.

"Going through WHAT?!"

"THIS! This conversation. I ain't having it for the...however many times it is now." A vest was pulled on.

"WE AIN'T NEVER HAD THIS CONVERSATION!"

"YES WE HAVE! Now I'm going out there today and I WILL figure out this puzzle." A gun belt was buckled.

"You ain't leaving here 'til you start makin' some sense." The black hat was grabbed by a lightning quick hand.

"You grabbing my hat ain't gonna stop me. I'm going." Heyes started for the door.

Kid hurried over and grabbed his arm hard, spinning him around. "I said you ain't runnin' around talkin' like this. You'll get yourself..."

"What? Killed? Arrested? All that's already happened more than once." He jerked his arm free.

Kid moved to stand in front of the door. "I was going to say someone will have you committed. You're talkin' crazy. Now go over there and sit down so we can talk this

out." Curry gave him a stare that would send most men running for the hills.

"NO. I said I'm leaving and that's what I'm doing. Now MOVE or I'll flatten you." Heyes tried to reach around his partner to get the doorknob.

"ALRIGHT THEN. GO ON!" Curry yelled furiously. He moved to let his insane cousin out. He decided he'd just follow Heyes. Better than fighting with him.

oooooasjooooo

Heyes entered the livery and quickly found the stable hand. He went over to him and backed him up against the wall. "Alright. Now you listen. You've got to have some clue as to what I need to do to stop this dang loop business."

"I am truly sorry. But I have no idea what does it. But it has to be something to do with you."

"I've already figured out that much." Heyes ran a hand through his hair as he rolled his eyes. He suddenly reached out and grabbed the man by the shirt. His eyes seem to darken as he spoke. "I KNOW you know something. You and your brother-in-law or whoever he is just ain't telling me. WHY?!"

Curry ran in at that moment and saw what was happening. He hurried over and grabbed Heyes' arms. "What are you doing?! Have you lost your mind? Let him go, Joshua."

Heyes let go and breathed out in exasperation. When Kid let go of him, his hand went to his face and he sighed, trying to calm down. "I'm sorry."

"It is alright. It is understandable," the stable man said.

Heyes turned to leave with the Kid on his heels. When they were outside, Curry stopped him. "C'mon, Joshua. You're going to the doctor."

"No, I'm not. There's no use in it. I'm fine."

"You're anything BUT fine."

"SHUT UP THADDEUS!"

That was it. Kid had reached his breaking point. He drew back and laid Heyes out on the ground. His partner glared up at him as he held his cheek. "You're going to the doctor,...NOW." Curry reached down and jerked Heyes up and down the street.

oooooasjooooo

_COCK-A-DOODLE-DOOOO...COCK-A-DOO..."_

_BANG_

_"SQUAAAWWKK..."_

Heyes' eyes flew open and he got up to get dressed. "Something I have to do huh? Well alright then."


End file.
